Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2014 Mar 7:8:52-5.
doi: 10.2174/1874325001408010052. eCollection 2014.

Fixation of acute distal biceps tendon ruptures using mitek anchors: a retrospective study

M Al-Taher  1 , Diederick B Wouters  2
Affiliations

Fixation of acute distal biceps tendon ruptures using mitek anchors: a retrospective study

M Al-Taher et al. Open Orthop J. .

Abstract

Purpose of this study: The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcomes of surgical intra-osseous fixation of the distal tendon of the ruptured biceps brachii muscle using Mitek anchors.

Materials and methods: Between 2005 and 2011, seven patients underwent unilateral distal biceps tendon repair using Mitek anchors. All patients were men aged between 36 and 47 years. Six patients were assessed by physical examination and use of the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (DASH) questionnaire.

Results: Surgery was performed within 3 to 17 days of rupture with a mean follow-up of 35 months. Of the six fully completed DASH questionnaires, three patients had a score of 0, and three patients had scores of 5.8, 10 and 10.8, respectively (10.1 is the mean score for the general population). Transient paraesthesias in the lateral antebrachial cutaneous nerve region occurred in two patients and one patient experienced a transient stiffness of the elbow due to scarring of the wound. No major complicatons have occurred.

Conclusion: The use of Mitek anchors for the re-insertion of the ruptured distal biceps tendon proved to be a safe and effective technique with excellent functional results in our series.

Keywords: Bone anchors; DASH score; Mitek anchors; distal biceps tendon ruptures; single incision technique; surgical treatment..

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Fig. (1)
Fig. (1)
Four unicortical drill holes were made at the site of the footprint in the cortex followed by creating a hatch between the four holes using an osteotome.
Fig. (2)
Fig. (2)
Two drill holes were made in the opposite cortex using the Mitek drill bit and the Mitek anchors were inserted in the holes.
Fig. (3)
Fig. (3)
The tendon was fixed by tying the Bunell stitches of the Mitek anchors, fixed in the dorsal bone cortex.
Fig. (4-6)
Fig. (4-6)
The full integration of the tendon is depicted in this MRI.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Sigmundsson FG, Olafsson AH, Ingvarsson T. Repair of distal biceps brachii tendon ruptures: long term retrospective follow-up for two-incision technique. Laeknabladid. 2009;95(1):19–24. - PubMed
    1. Peeters T, Ching-Soon NG, Jansen N, Sneyers C, Declercq G, Verstreken F. Functional outcome after repair of distal biceps tendon ruptures using the endobutton technique. J Shoulder Elbow Surg. 2009;18(2):283–7. - PubMed
    1. Patterson RW1, Sharma J, Lawton JN, Evans PJ. Distal biceps tendon reconstruction with tendoachilles allograft: a modification of the endobutton technique utilizing an ACL reconstruction system. J Hand Surg Am. 2009;34(3):545–52. - PubMed
    1. Bain GI, Prem H, Heptinstall RJ, Verhellen R, Paix D. Repair of distal biceps tendon rupture: a new technique using the Endobutton. J Shoulder Elbow Surg. 2000;9(2):120–6. - PubMed
    1. Widmer BJ, Tashjian RZ. Treatment of distal biceps tendon ruptures. Am J Orthop (Belle Mead NJ) 2010;39(6):288–96. - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources